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Sans stared at the dark child down the Judgment Hall, eye sockets narrowing as she slowly approached. Small but sturdy knife clenched in one hand, her smile spread over her rosy cheeks, but it was hollow and empty. He studied her as she drew closer, leaning against one of the pillars.

"Hey there," he flipped a hand up amicably, though the child did not respond. "You look frustrated about something. Guess that means I'm pretty good at my job, huh?"

Her fist tightened around the hilt of the knife, gleaming in the morning sun. The little smile on her face twitched, and he counted it as a small but personal victory.

"Still not gonna say anything?" he asked as she stood before him, still and silent. "Man, you really are more of an 'actions over words' kinda kid, huh?"

The child was on him before he could react.

Her knife swung in a wide arc where his head had just been, leaving him bare milliseconds to fall backwards through the void to escape, his grin still plastered onto his face.

"D'you mind waiting 'til I've at least given my spiel?" he mocked her as she swung with all her force again and again, each time barely managing to slip away from her. "If you thought I was mad about the whole slaughtering everybody I loved thing you should try interrupting again and see what I'm like when I'm really mad."

The tip of the knife sliced where his nose would have been if he had a nose, and he chuckled.

"Suit yourself," he shrugged, giving his fingers a snap and summoning a pair of large white animalistic skulls that phased into existence behind him. "Some people just gotta do things the hard way."

He could feel the hum of the energy blast before he heard it roaring overhead, incinerating the place the human had just been mere moments before. She nimbly dodged from one side to the other, her large smile shining just as brightly as her knife as she sidestepped another blast and stabbed with a deep lunge. He warped away just as she was struggling to regain her composure after missing, and he took full advantage of her mistake with a summoned wall of bone spears –

and against all odds, she dove through a small, almost unseen empty spot in the bone wall and swung mightily at him yet again, relentless in her assault.

Just what was this kid made of?

He could feel the sweat from the effort beginning to collect at his brow, his heartbeat drumming in his head as he felt the magical strain of summoning blaster after blaster in panicked attempt to slow her down as she drew closer and closer, he could see the red irises of her eyes as the knife screamed downward-

-Sans jerked awake, head feeling heavy and numb. He stared upward at the ceiling in the dark, the nightmare still fresh in his mind. He let his breathing slow as he forced himself to calm down, remind himself that it was only a dream. Just a bad dream. Again.

But it's never just a dream, is it?

He listened to the sound of Toriel's breathing in the bed beside him, and his eyes wandered until he was staring through the ceiling. He stayed like that for what felt like hours, rigid and still, until finally he crept out of bed and grabbed his jacket and slippers.

There was work to be done.

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"Morning Paps," Sans stifled a yawn as he dropped into the chair across from his brother.

"Good morning, Sans," Papyrus watched as he poured himself a cup of coffee. "You're looking worse than usual."

"Gee, thanks," he snorted, dropping in a couple of sugar cubes and taking a quick swig to force himself awake.

"I mean it, Sans. You look like you were just hit by a truck."

"I've just been really busy at Alphys's lab is all," he hid his yawn behind his hand again.

Papyrus stared at him for a full ten seconds.

"... You didn't even make a 'bone tired' joke," Papyrus blinked. "You must feel terrible."

"I'll live," Sans tried not to rub the bags under his eyes. "If I don't I'll probably die."

Papyrus only shook his head. It was quiet for a little while, and Sans appreciated it while it lasted. It was a beautiful day outside. Birds were singing, flowers were blooming.

So why did he feel so awful?

He resisted the urge to rub his eyes, staring down into his morning coffee. It felt as if there were something horribly important that he was supposed to remember. He couldn't think of anyone's birthday, so that couldn't have been it. It felt much more important than something so trivial though, at least in comparison.

What was it?

He let his mind wander back to the odd dreams, and his conversation with Alphys the previous night.

You aren't the only ones having the nightmares. The ones where everyone d- where everyone goes... missing.

That alone had disturbed Sans. Undyne and Alphys having the same dream as him was unsettling to say the least. He briefly wondered just how many other monsters were having identical nightmares revolving around the kid.

His dark reflection stared back up at him from the coffee, matching his deep frown.

There was simply no way that the Frisk from his dream was the same child. She cried for accidentally stepping on a butterfly once, to imagine her in the same place as that lookalike was...

"... Sans?"

He blinked, glancing up.

"What's up Paps?"

"Are you certain that you're feeling alright?" Papyrus asked quietly.

"Yeah. 'Course. Why?"

"You've been grimacing like a gargoyle for the past fifteen minutes."

Sans flinched, having forgotten that he wasn't necessarily by himself in Alphys's lab anymore.

"Just thinking," he responded carefully. "Y'know, you don't exactly look like a hundred bucks, either."

And it was true. Papyrus's eyes were half open as he cooked breakfast, his shoulders slumped and his back bowed.

"Yes, well..." he shifted uncomfortably. "I just haven't been sleeping well is all."

Sans felt a creeping chill crawl up the back of his neck.

"You've been having... nightmares?" he guessed.

Papyrus didn't look at him, but nodded.

"Terrible nightmares," he stared off far into the distance before shaking himself. "But that's not important. What is important is ensuring that everyone starts off their day with their third most important meal!"

"Breakfast is only third?" Sans blinked.

"Well, naturally. You can't have spaghetti for breakfast."

Papyrus paused.

"... Can-can you?"

As Papyrus was pondering the deep and philosophical questions in life, he was interrupted by a loud shout that caused both of them to jump.

"Help! I need help!"

Sans bolted out of the chair and was stumbling halfway up the stairs in moments, reflexively summoning a small semicircle of bones around his fist as he took the stairs three at a time. He could already feel his teeth rattling at the humming of energy warping into existence behind him from the blasters as he skidded to a halt in front of the bedroom doorway, which was wide open. He clicked his fingers and the Gaster blaster disintegrated when he spotted Toriel kneeling over the limp form of Asriel, who was shivering and shaking in her arms violently.

"Help-" she breathed, eyes rolling madly towards Sans. "I need help! It's Asriel; something's wrong, something's wrong with my son!"

Sans took in every bit of information he could in the sparse few seconds that he could. Toriel had her boy clutched to her chest but from the sporadic spasms. He was kicking out with one leg wildly, his shoulders taut as he almost seemed to be struggling against her. If he hadn't been jerking his head about Sans might not have noticed that he was foaming at the mouth with an odd purple froth. And was it just his imagination, or was he leaking so much sweat that he almost seemed to be... melting?

"We're going to Alphys," Sans said breathlessly, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Now."

"Then there's no time to lose!" she stood instantly, Asriel in her arms. "Let's go!"

"Tori, it'd be faster if I went-"

"Like hell I'm letting you take my baby! Just do your thing, do it now!"

Frisk and Papyrus barely made it to the doorway before the trio vanished from the world.

They fell through the void, further and further into the darkness. Sans struggled and strained to keep a proper grip on Toriel and the violently shaking child, the breath squeezed out of him as they plummeted through miles and miles of nothing.

They reappeared a few feet above Alphys's and Undyne's front yard, crushing a small bed of golden flowers. Toriel was on her feet in seconds, closely followed by Sans to the front door.

"Al?" he called as he rang the doorbell and banged on the door. "Al! Alphys! Open up! Open the door already, hurry!"

There was a scurrying and skittering inside as the front locks were being undone, the sound of Alphys's confused voice greeting them on the other side.

"Sans?" she asked sleepily as she unlocked the door at last. "I thought you just left for oh my stars!"

"Help," Toriel asked pleadingly, looking as if she were going to faint. "Please – doctor, please, I can't lose one of my children again!"

"Just take it easy, Tori," Sans put a hand on her shoulder, which was quivering from the shaking child. "Alphys knows what to do. Right, Al?"

"Uh..."

"Alphys!"

"I-I don't know!" she threw up her arms. "How was I supposed to know that he'd have a seizure and start foaming stabilization compone-"

She froze, staring at them.

"I have an idea," she motioned them inside, grabbing her white lab coat from a rack beside the basement which was overflowing with coats as it was. "This is absolutely nuts, but I think I know what's wrong."

"Tell us on the way down," Sans said, out of breath as they followed swiftly. Asriel's condition was only growing worse by the minute, his eyes now rolling back into his head and making gurgling sounds. "Just please tell me that he's gonna make it."

"I-I can't...!"

"Alphys, if you never do anything again, I swear I'll stop being so lazy! Just, please, just help us now."

"... I think I know how to save him," she said with newfound determination, fists clenched tightly. "Set him on the examination table; good, good. It's a good thing I stocked up on stabilization component."

Alphys removed a large swirling beaker of purple liquid from a rack, popping the cork off and letting a little trail of steam waft up that smelled indescribable. In one swift motion she forced open Asriel's mouth, jamming the open end of the beaker inside and closing his lips around it until he began to swallow. Toriel watched the proceedings with pure, unadulterated horror, trembling hand over her mouth the entire time.

It fell dead silent.

Asriel slowly, slowly grew still, no longer shaking violently. His breathes came fewer and longer, less ragged. Sans let out a quiet breath that he hadn't realized he'd been holding, his hands clenched tightly in his pockets.

"... I think- I mean, I think he's going to be alright now," Alphys felt his forehead with the back of her palm, letting out a long sigh.

"Thank god," Toriel nearly collapsed where she stood, draping her arms over the scientist's shoulders and pulling her into a hug. "Alphys, you beautiful woman."

"Hey," Undyne stood at the top of the stairs, staring down at them. "Only I'm allowed to call her that. What's the fuss about?"

"Had a bit of a scare, that's all," Sans let out another shaky breath. "Told ya Al would know just what to do."

Asriel groaned from the examination table, his eyes fluttering open as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

"... Ew," he murmured, letting his mother take his other hand. "Man that tastes gross."

"Hey," Sans gave a little wave to him, seeing the confusion on his face. "And here I thought I was peeved you barfed on my slippers. If you'd have died you'd make me really mad."

"Uh... s-sorry?" Asriel looked around the room to them all, watching as Undyne muttered something into her cellphone. "I-I really have no idea how I got here."

"You went into a stabilization fluid withdrawal induced seizure," Alphys explained, passing him a cloth to wipe his face with, which he took with a small thanks. "At least, that's what I'm assuming happened. You were starting to lose your form until I injected you with another dose."

"... Thanks for helping me," Asriel said without looking up.

"If you don't m-mind," Alphys asked Toriel. "Um, I'd like to run a few more tests while you're all here. Just want to make sure this doesn't happen to him in the future."

"Of course. I understand, doctor," Toriel nodded after a moment.

"Hey," Sans's hand was still on her shoulder, and he gently pulled her away.

"Yes," she nodded to him. "I wanted to thank you. Once more you proved instrumental in saving my child."

"Tori," he asked slowly, ensuring that Alphys was still busy with Asriel and Undyne was on the phone with what sounded like Papyrus. "Y'know, we've been together for almost a year now. Maybe now's not the best time, but, uh..."

"Yes?" she asked, and he shifted uneasily.

"... 'cause, y'know, if you don't wanna answer, you don't have to," he held up his hands. "It's just to sate my own curiosity. You don't really talk a lot about life in the Underground. What... did you mean, lose one of your children again? Did you have another kid aside from Asriel?"

Toriel grew very, very still and looked away from him. That was all the answer he needed.

"... I'm so sorry."

"Don't be," she turned back with a strange expression in her glistening eyes. "It-" she started to choke before clearing her throat. "It was a long, long time ago."

Sans's grip on her hand grew a little tighter, and he looked up at her with a small smile. She squeezed back appreciatively and wiped her eyes with one sleeve.

"... Thank you for everything."

"'Ay, don't worry 'bout it," he shrugged.

"Easier said than done."

"Let's just get back to happier days, eh?" Sans grinned awkwardly.

"I think I'd like that very much, Sans," she said with a matching smile.

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Sans watched as Asriel played with Frisk, running around the house and giggling like nothing had ever happened.

Like he hadn't just been a flower the previous day.

Like he hadn't just been vomiting the only thing keeping him alive.

Like he hadn't been inches from death just a few hours earlier.

Sans mentally shrugged. Kids tended to be a lot tougher than anyone gave them credit for. Frisk, for example. She was busy tying a small blanket into a makeshift cape for Asriel as he danced back and forth impatiently with that same dopey, carefree grin on his face. Sans hid his chuckle behind his quantum physics book, turning the page. Frisk had fallen into the Underground with nothing more than the clothes on her back and a little walking stick, and wound up saving them all and becoming a sort of ambassador for monsters, which turned out to be more of an empty title than anything as monsters could generally be their own diplomats, but she was more than grateful for the title nonetheless.

He turned another page displaying photons and atoms in a wave graph, absentmindedly watching the kids as he'd promised Toriel before she had to leave for the school. Granted, it was out of the corner of his eye socket, but he was watching them nonetheless.

Even Papyrus had his own job as a security guard for a museum, and Sans was a little bit jealous of his brother's 'get up and go' that he always seemed to have in plentiful amounts.

He watched as Asriel placed a too big crown of flowers on Frisk's head, giggling madly as it fell into her eyes.

He really was a completely different person than the foul tempered flower that he was before. This kid seemed... innocent.

So did the other one.

Sans fought off a small shudder that started at the nape of his neck, forcing the ugly thought away and directing his attention back to his book. Humans had such peculiar concepts of developed mathematical formalisms. Surely that was enough to keep him distracted from anything that his mind actually wanted to focus on.

Like the nightmares.

Sans shook his head, focusing on his reading.

There was a small quote that made him chortle, something that the last owner of the book had highlighted.

The essence of life is statistical improbability on a colossal scale.

Humans could be so weird.

He glanced back over his shoulder to check on Frisk. She was busying herself with trying to put Asriel's ears into pigtails, much to the dismay of Asriel. Sans grinned, shaking his head again. It helped him keep his mind off of things, just watching them play.

I've done the scans again and again, Sans. His overall health is just... one. Just one.

That was something he was still struggling to comprehend how Frisk just accepted so easily. That if Asriel were to get hurt, even just a little, he could die.

And?she had stared at him. That just means I gotta protect him; just like when he was a flower. Not really any changes there. It's okay, really, Uncle Sans. I promise I'll take care of him. He's still family.

He smiled a little as he started to doze off on the sofa.

For so many years he'd been lead to believe that all humans were bad, and yet here this kid was showing again and again just what a big heart she had. It was-

-Raining outside, that was a pleasant change of pace from the usual sunshine that he expected from the resets. Sans almost glided down the dark Judgment Hall, stepping through a small puddle of blood that stained his slippers as he passed numbly through it. Sometimes he could almost pretend that they were really free through the barrier. But that was just a pleasant daydream.

He drifted away from stained glass windows, listening to the drumming of the rain. He stared long and hard down the dark shadows of the hall, seeing nothing but still remaining just as tense.

The reset was going to come sooner or later. He just knew it. Whether he would remember everything was debatable. That, he knew too.

The kid could only die so many times before turning back time.

All he had to do was wait.

He felt a creeping, tingling sensation on the back of his neck, and he turned to see the king standing solemnly at the end of the hall.

"... Your majesty," Sans nodded once.

"The child has been transferred to the containment coffin," Asgore informed him quietly.

"Didn't think this would turn out to be such a grave situation."

Asgore didn't laugh.

Neither did Sans.

"... Too soon-"

"Yes," Asgore nodded once more. "Too soon."

"Alphys should be preparing the soul extractor soon," Sans stuck his hands in his pockets and pulled out a single cigarette, lighting it with a brush of magic from the tip of his thumb. "If the human even still has it. I'm surprised that they still haven't reset yet."

"I have yet to have a full report on these... 'resets' that you and doctor Alphys have been informing me of," Asgore walked with him toward the throne room. "I'm curious as to the extent of these anomalies in the timeline."

"I doubt it would do anyone much good, but I'll get them for you," Sans said softly, sticking his hands back in his pockets as they walked past the stain on the floor. He scowled, feeling his brother's scarf in his pocket and clenching his hand around it until he began to lose feeling in his knuckles.

"... Do you feel... something wrong?" Asgore paused just before the entrance to the throne room.

"Yeah." Sans put out his cigarette, already having mentally prepared himself for the inevitable. "We're about to have never had this conversation."

"That means... This would be more of these... anomalies."

"Yeah."

"So I see. Good luck, Sans."

"Thanks, 'gore. Catch you on the flip side."

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A/N

I'm always looking to improve, so please let me know if I missed any typos!

If you liked it, please do let me know in the reviews. The next chapter should be up soon!